Sacrifice
by Kkat84
Summary: Revision in progress. Wyatt learns firsthand about the price the war between good and evil demands. Now he has to make a choice. Changed future. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Jessa

A slender blonde girl lounged on the low wall reading a novel and keeping an eye on her two friends and working partners who were currently having an argument.

"What did you think you were doing?" Wyatt Halliwell's ice-blue eyes flashed in annoyance as he glared at his friend. Most people would have been intimidated by his stare; Seth Jacobs was not. He met the witch's eyes steadily.

"I was looking for information on the Stalker demons. You remember the ones who have killed seven people in the past two weeks?"

"And the reason you didn't clear it with me is?"

"I didn't realize I needed to clear every action with you."

Jessa sighed as she raked her fingers through her hair. Wyatt was her best friend, but sometimes he drove her crazy. She didn't have to see Seth's face to know it was dark with tightly controlled anger. Jessa felt her annoyance approaching frustration. Jumping easily off the low brick wall, she stalked over to the two boys. "Will both of you shut up?" They stared at her in shock. Jessa took a deep breath, composing herself. When she spoke again, her voice took on its customary even keel. "Look, Seth and I need to work on that project-I would actually like to pass this class." The two of them were working on a chemistry project. Unfortunately, the teacher would not accept demon hunting as an explanation of lateness.

"Sure, whatever." Wyatt had lost interest. Seth was practically shaking with anger as the walked away. "I swear, if he doesn't stop giving orders…"

"I'm not sure he even realizes he does it."

"That's even more annoying."

"Calm down."

Jessa shook her head. She turned her face up, enjoying the sunshine and light breeze. Seth watched her with amusement. She gave him a mock-glare and hurried across the street.

It was almost 9:00 when they finished the project. "Finally," Seth muttered. "I still don't understand why we have to put together this computer generated stuff. Making a potion would make a great demonstration."

"I don't think that Dr. Tanner would like that very much."

The mortal world had learned about the magical world when Jessa was about ten years old. An ambitious demon had attempted to create an army that could take over the world. The Charmed Ones had vanquished him, but magic had irrevocably been exposed. The Cleaners had attempted to fix the problem but were unable to change the past. Many mortals were afraid of witches and other magical creatures. The brief but furious Witch Wars had devastated much of the world. The magic and mortal worlds had existed in an uneasy truce since Jessa was fourteen. Seth's and Jessa's chemistry professor was one of the people who had strong reservations about the magical world.

Wyatt and Chris had organized patrols to hunt the demons that frequently preyed upon humans and magical creatures. Jessa grabbed her clothes and went into the bathroom to change. Her clothing was an assortment of dark gray and black that helped her blend in. She tied her hair back to keep it from getting in the way. Seth was waiting for her when she came out. "Ready to go?" His eyes gleamed with a fierce light that unnerved her. She reminded herself that he only hunted demons, but his love of hunting disconcerted her. Seth raised an eyebrow and she answered quickly. "Yeah, sure."

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine.

Jessa was silent, thinking about her two working partners. Seth was half-human, half-Manticore demon. He enjoyed hunting, although he rarely showed that side of his personality-only his partners ever saw it. He had a tightly controlled temper that he rarely unleashed-completely losing control had consequences. He loved to laugh, and generally found something to laugh at in almost every situation. He was fiercely loyal to Wyatt and would do almost anything for him. He was also occasionally too perceptive for Jessa's liking. Her thoughts switched to Wyatt, the leader of the group. He was extremely protective of his family and friends. He did well at school, sports, and demon hunting, periodically causing intense envy and frustration in his friends. He was intelligent, confident, and charismatic. "And way too much aware of his own talents," Jessa thought. He was almost always certain that he was right, and even when he was wrong he seldom admitted it. He had a tendency to assume that he didn't really need anyone's help, and spent too much time telling his younger siblings and friends what to do.

Jessa was jolted out of her thoughts by Seth poking her side. His eyes seemed to glitter. "Wake up," he hissed. Jessa blinked her eyes and focused. They had received intelligence that Stalker demons had hunted here every other night for the past week. Wyatt only glanced at her, but the expression on his face told her she would catch it later. Without warning the demons appeared. Seth threw an athame at one of the demons as Wyatt sent another flying. Jessa lost all thought of anything except the fight. She kicked one demon in the throat, knocking him backwards. A quick follow-up throw of a potion bottle vanquished him. She vanquished another two demons with a spell written by Wyatt. The three fighters efficiently rid the world of eight Stalker demons. "Since when do Stalker demons travel in packs," Seth grumbled. He hated it when the enemy got smarter. "Let's go home," Wyatt commanded. The three went first to the Halliwell Manor. Jessa sat still as Wyatt healed the scratch on her arm. She didn't even remember getting it. Her mind drifted as he took a step back.

"Jessa!" She turned her head at Wyatt's forceful tone. "Look, Wyatt, I'm really tired…"

"You're lucky that's all you are!"

Jessa's head snapped up in anger. "Patrol is no time to be daydreaming. If you can't do your job, I'll find someone else." She was shaking with anger and embarrassment. Concentrating on calming herself, she said, "I understand. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't."

"Can I go now, Your Majesty," Jessa asked caustically. She knew that Wyatt had a reason to be worried, but she was so tired of being treated like a child. "You two go and get some sleep," Piper ordered as she came downstairs. She turned her stern gaze on her eldest child. "And you, you need to call it a night as well." Her tone brooked no argument. "Leo will take both of you home," she added to Jessa and Seth. Neither of them argued. No one argued with Piper Halliwell, except for maybe her husband and sisters.

A/N: So, I decided to rewrite this story. It has several flaws, including the fact that Wyatt is more of a jerk than I intended him to be and Chris doesn't play enough of a role. However, I'm not going to delete the original all at once like I did with the other story I'm rewriting. Please review!   



	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing. 

Chapter 2:Family Quarrels 

Melinda Halliwell glared at the huge pile of dishes awaiting her attention. It was amazing how many dishes a large family could use. Mel worked on putting as many dishes in the dishwasher as possible. Smaller dishes went in the dishwasher, but pots and pans had to be washed by hand. The teenage witch had tried to convince her aunt Piper that a spell to clean dishes wasn't really personal gain, but it hadn't worked. Nearby, Chris chopped vegetables for dinner that night. The two worked in companionable silence, limiting conversation to the occasional comment. The door slammed as Wyatt came into the house. He grabbed a juice drink from the fridge and headed upstairs-Piper did not allow soft drinks in her house except for special occasions. In Mel's opinion, Chris and Wyatt were entirely to blame for this unfairness.

Mel rolled her eyes as her eldest cousin strode past her without even saying hello. 'Somebody's cranky,' she mindspoke to Chris. He smirked and nodded his head. A second later, Melinda winced and Chris grimaced as Wyatt gave them the mental equivalent of a smack on the head. 'Really cranky,' Melinda thought, keeping her thought as quiet as possible. A few minutes later, she was nearly knocked down by a twelve year old blur, followed closely by a dark-haired girl six months younger than Mel. "Get back here, you little brat!" The twelve year old, Aunt Piper's youngest child, swore as she crashed into the table. "Vicky! Pam!" Both girls jumped at their mother's voice. Piper glared at her daughters as she came in the room. "Pam, if I ever hear you say that word again you are grounded for a month. And how many times have I told you not to run in the house! You could break your necks!" The children stared at the ground, Pam holding hear side as Vicky gave her menacing looks. The broken tableware finally registered with Piper. "Pam, not again!" Pam's lower lip trembled. "I'm really sorry, Mom."

"Stop acting like a baby!" Vicky snapped.

"Vicky!"

"Mom, she acts like a baby all the time! You'd think she was Blaire's age!"

Pam burst into tears and orbed out. Piper grabbed for her daughter but missed.

"Vicky, how many times have I told you to stop teasing her!"

"I hate you! You always take her side, you never listen to me!" Vicky orbed out as well. Mel and Chris looked at each other, then at Piper. "Where's Wyatt," Piper asked. Mel shrugged. "Probably working. He looked really annoyed." Piper grimaced. "Wonderful. I now have three cranky children." Mel looked down, hiding a smile. As Piper went to start dinner, Mel began cleaning the mess while Chris went to find Pam.

Pam looked up sadly as Chris came in. He hugged her gently and sat down. Pam leaned against him and closed her eyes. Two years ago, Pam had been kidnapped, tortured, and nearly killed. The once bubbly girl had become moody, shy, and prone to fits of crying and temper. Pam was also completely unable to use her magic unless she was extremely upset. "She hates me!" Pam sobbed. Chris hugged her tightly. "She doesn't hate you," he reassured her. "She loves you. She's just…Vicky." Pam bit her lip. "She never used to yell at me."

"Yes she did. It just never bothered you before."

Pam bit her lip and nodded. "I broke her CD player. She's really mad." Chris shook his head in amusement. "We'll ask Wyatt to fix it, OK? Just…not right now." He gave Pam a conspiratorial glance. She smiled shyly back at him. "Did you get in trouble too?"

"I didn't do anything," Chris answered innocently. "Wyatt's been snapping at everyone for breathing loudly." He picked up a book lying on the nightstand. "Um, isn't this mine?" His sister gave him her best cute-little-innocent-me look. Chris fought back his amusement. "All right, it's not like I read it anymore." He hugged her. "I gotta work, brat. Try to be good." He orbed out.

Wyatt looked up to see Vicky standing in the doorway. "Hey kid, what's up?"

"Don't call me kid." Vicky sighed as she came in. "Pam is such a baby!"

"What'd she do this time?"

"She broke my CD player!"

"I'll fix it, don't worry."

"I know, that's not the point. I just wish she'd grow up a little."

Wyatt gave her a sympathetic glance. "She's just skittish. She'll get over it." Vicky rolled her eyes. "How's Seth," she asked casually. Wyatt gave her a sharp look. He did not approve of his sister's fascination with his friend. For one thing, she was too young for him. For another, she was his sister. "I'm almost grown up" Vicky said indignantly. "You're sixteen. He's twenty-one. It's not happening!" She stuck out her tongue. "Can I come with you on patrol?"

"NO!"

"Come on, Wyatt, I want to help!"

"Absolutely not. You're too young."

"I've helped with demon vanquishes before!"

"Yeah, here at home. You had the rest of the family to help, as well as the power stored in the Manor. Discussion's over. You're not helping." Vicky stalked out of the room, offended. Wyatt's mouth twitched as he watched his temperamental sister go. He knew how eager Vicky was to join in on the family vanquishes. Wyatt knew that Vicky was a powerful witch, but she was too impulsive. She had nearly gotten herself killed several times by sneaking out to hunt demons on her own. Wyatt had healed her every time, but she never seemed to learn. Vicky never made the same mistake twice, but there were hundreds of mistakes that she could make. The Charmed Ones had decided that from Mel on down, the children had to be eighteen in order to participate on the demon patrols. They would have made such rules for Chris and Wyatt, but necessity had prevented that. Once evil no longer needed to hide; demons had come out of the woodwork with a vengeance, and even the legendary Charmed Ones couldn't defeat them all. Wyatt and Chris had begun assisting their parents with demon hunting, and had instituted demon patrols when Wyatt was seventeen. Seth and Jessa primarily worked with Wyatt, while two witches, Adrian and Tracey, worked with Chris.

A knock at his door caught his attention. "Come in." Adam entered the room, closely followed by his twin. "Chris said you wanted to talk to us," Adam began.

"About the Darklighter squads," Tracey finished. Wyatt blinked a little. "Did you find anything about who's behind the organization?"

"We don't know anything yet."

"Darklighters tend to work alone."

"They're very different from whitelighters in that way."

"But they do have a council like the whitelighters."

"They're more organized than people realize."

"All right, I get the picture. Could it be a demon?" Wyatt tried to hide his irritation at their twinspeak. Tracey cocked her head.

"Darklighters don't like demons."

"And vice versa."

"Actually, nobody in the Underworld really likes each other…" This last was spoken by Adam and Tracey simultaneously.

"Focus, people!" Wyatt exploded. The twins blinked at him, largely unaffected.

"A really powerful demon might sway them."

"Like maybe the Source," Tracey finished.

"The Source is vanquished," Wyatt sighed.

"Ten years ago he was," Adam asserted.

"But things change in ten years," his twin elaborated.

"OK, can you two just finish your own sentences," Wyatt pleaded in exasperation. Tracey looked expectantly at Adam. "The organization of the Darklighters is just one more sign of cohesiveness in the Underworld. They seem to be preparing for something. You might want to put some more people on it. We're trying, but…"

"There's only so much we can do," Tracey added. She winced. "Sorry."

Wyatt realized that he was being a jerk. "Sorry. I'm just tired."

"We know it drives people crazy," Tracey answered placidly.

"Chris doesn't seem to mind though."

"He just calls us pod people."

"And asks are we sure we aren't identical twins."

"Even though that's not possible."

"Science was never Chris' strong point," Wyatt laughed.

The twins gave simultaneous grins.

"Hey, Romulus and Remus," Chris yelled down the hallway."

"I'm a girl, not a boy," Tracey said absently.

"And we weren't raised by wolves," Adam chimed in.

Wyatt stared at them. A hint of mischief danced in Tracey's eyes. Oh good, they had some sense of humor. "Thanks, you two," he called after them as they left.

Wyatt and Chris went over possible demon threats. Piper had asked them to come up with a list and separate the threats into categories. The Charmed Ones had to admit that the assistance of their children and company lightened the load considerably. The Charmed Ones still took point on most of the major vanquishes, but they were giving more and more responsibility to the next generation. "So, Trace and Adam told you their theory?"

"Yes, and do they do that twin-thing all the time?"

"They lay it on thick when they want to have fun. They do it occasionally in normal conversation, but you get used to it."

Wyatt shook his head. "I think I might go crazy listening to that. What are their powers?"

"They have a telepathic bond with each other. Tracey can see things from far away, and Adam can teleport objects. They work best as a pair."

"That's obvious," Wyatt commented.

"I spent the first month trying to make them angry. It didn't work. Their powers are nothing fancy, but they just sort of anchor themselves and hold on. They aren't really excitable, so any taunting by demons doesn't really affect them."

"Are we sure that's not a magical talent in itself," Wyatt laughed. Many powerful witches tended to be easily excitable. Chris laughed with his brother. "So, are you going out on a date tonight?"

"Not tonight," Wyatt answered carefully.

"I hear that Terry is going out with Caleb now," Chris continued.

Wyatt shot him a pointed look that Chris ignored.

"Chris, we just dated casually. It wasn't anything serious."

"But it's definitely over."

"Yes, Chris!"

"Wyatt, this is the fifth strikeout in almost a year. What's with you?"

"What makes you think it's me?"

"Well, it's either you or your taste in women. Honestly, I'm not sure which."

"Pot calling the kettle black."

"Wyatt, I don't want a steady girlfriend. I like playing the field. You, however, are different. So what was it this time?"

"Apparently, Terry's boyfriends aren't allowed to have friends not specifically approved by her."

"You had a fight about Jessa, didn't you?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, it makes three out of five."

"She was being unreasonable," Wyatt complained.

Chris thought for a moment. "Wyatt, maybe this should tell you something."

"Jessa is my friend and my partner, Chris. I'm not going to drop her just for a girlfriend." He stood up and stalked out.

Wyatt nearly walked into Leo. "Sorry, Dad."

"Wyatt, is something wrong?"

"Just, stuff."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with your breakup with Terry, would it?"

"Dad!"

"I heard about the argument," Leo said gently.

"Why does everyone think that Jessa is the problem," Wyatt demanded. Leo wisely didn't say anything. "She's my friend, Dad. She's smart, funny, and pretty. She's loyal to a fault, and she's got more courage than any one person really needs. I don't want to lose her, and I'm not going to give her the cold shoulder just because someone tells me too."

"I have one question," Leo said carefully."

"What?"

"Why aren't you dating her?"

Wyatt stared at him. "Wyatt, you have trouble with your relationships because so little of your energy is put into them. Terry could sense it, so could the other girls. What did you expect them to do?" He put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Think about what I've said."

A/N: So, how do you like the story? Please review!  



	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**A/N: A couple things that you should know: 1) Leo is a whitelighter 2) Phoebe isn't married to Coop. Sorry, I just didn't like that match. Paige is married to Henry, though. 3) These characters were written before season eight, so I gave each sister however many children I wanted them to have. **

**Chapter 3: First date**

When Jessa got to work the next evening, Wyatt and Seth were waiting. Seth was studying the ground; Jessa guessed that Wyatt had chewed him out for something. Once patrol ended, Seth shimmered out. Wyatt stood next to Jessa, gently touching her arm. She gave him a tired smile. "You all right?"

"Just a long day."

"Do you want to go out Saturday night?"

Jessa pressed her lips together, pretending to hesitate. Wyatt looked at her warily, making her grin. "Sure."

"I'll pick you up at 6:00."

"Sounds great."

Jessa smiled as she walked home. "Saturday will be the best night of my life!"

Jessa nervously brushed a lock of hair away from her face. She felt uncomfortable in a dress. Wyatt drove up in his new car. As he got out of the car, Jessa took a dep breath. Wyatt's eyes widened. "Jessa, you look beautiful!" She gave him a startled, delighted smile.

"Close your eyes."

"Wyatt, what?" Her voice trembled with laughter.

"Just close your eyes."

She obeyed, a smile still on her face. Wyatt took her hands and orbed them out. Jessa opened her eyes and stared in shock. "Wyatt…we're in London!" He grinned mischievously at her. "I have my ways." He kept his voice as low as hers. "Wyatt," she hissed, "I'm wearing blue jeans and boots!"

"Your point being?"

"I can't go to a London restaurant dressed in blue jeans. You said we were just going to get a hamburger."

"Picture what you want to wear," he told her. She unintentionally visualized a dress. Wyatt snapped his fingers twice, the first time to put up an invisibility shield around them, the second time to transform Jessa's casual outfit into a dress. "Personal gain," she teased him. "Practice for camouflage," he innocently answered her.

Jessa ordered the roast lamb for dinner, wondering what on earth Wyatt was thinking. She chattered nervously throughout most of the meal. Why was this making her so nervous? This was Wyatt! Her determined, funny, frequently very annoying best friend. _"You OK?" _he silently asked her. As she tried to decide how to answer, Jessa knocked her drink all over herself and her food. She stared in dismay, wondering how on earth that much liquid could be contained in a small glass. Wyatt instantly decided that this was not the time to laugh. He calmed the waiter down, paid the tab, and orbed Jessa and himself back home. Her dress turned back into her blue jeans and blouse, still stained from the drink. "I want to go home now," she said clearly, the slightest tremor in her voice. "Jessa, it's OK," he started.

"Wyatt. I want to go home, please."

He sighed and reluctantly orbed her back to her house.

Wyatt rubbed his forehead, trying to think of a way to salvage the night. He sat on his favorite rock on the beach, staring out at the ocean. He had forgotten about Jessa's insecurities when it came to dating. That jerk Tyler had messed with her mind in more ways than most people realized. She had begun dating him as a junior in high school. A powerful telepath, he had carefully manipulated her mind until she was barely recognizable as her former self. Wyatt had watched helplessly as his best friend became a stranger. Wyatt had come very close to killing him, although only Chris knew about _that_. Jessa still rarely dated. The usually confident girl became clumsy and shy on dates. Her anxieties were one reason he had avoided asking her out; he was afraid of losing his closest friend after his brother. _OK, Halliwell, quit being a coward._ He orbed to her house.

Jessa sat curled up on her couch, wrapped in a blanket. Her hair smelled of the shampoo, her stained clothing sat soaking in the sink. This was so typical of how her dates went. She always managed to make a fool of herself. Once she had slipped on a wet floor and knocked her date down as well. Another time she choked on a chicken bone.

"I thought you told me that wallowing in self-pity was a waste of time."

Jessa jumped at the sound of Wyatt's voice. "I lied."

"I may be wrong, considering my general confusion when it comes to how women's minds work, but aren't pity parties usually reserved for breaking up?"

"Wyatt, what are you doing here?"

"Finishing our date," he answered calmly.

"I don't want to go anywhere."

"Fine. Then we'll stay here."

"Go away."

Wyatt ran his fingers through his hair. "Jessa, it was an accident. It doesn't matter."

"I'm a terrible date," she protested.

"Jess. I've dated girls who spend the entire time talking about their old boyfriends. I can remember one girl who talked about nothing but her last manicure and the latest articles in the fashion magazines. I've suffered through chick flicks, musicals, and operas. I promise you, you are a wonderful date."

"And the reason you dated all the idiots was…"

"Hey, the manicure girl looked like a model."

Jess' mouth twitched. "Typical shallow male."

"I live to amuse," he answered in a mock-serious tone.

"Wyatt, I humiliated myself in front of an entire restaurant. All I want to do is eat icecream and watch stupid movies."

"Sounds good. Want company?"

"Don't you have demon patrols to plan?"

Wyatt shrugged. "It can wait until tomorrow."

"I give in," Jessa told the ceiling. They found a six-hour ghost movie on one station. "I have never seen a horror movie this long."

"I think it's a mini-series."

"So, the bedrooms are supposed to be safe, huh?"

"I hope the kid doesn't die. The rest of them I don't care about."

"Why exactly are they going into a haunted house?"

"They're being offered an obscene amount of money. This leads me to believe that we are being gypped."

"How's that?"

"We have to deal with real, actual demons-as opposed to these decomposing corpses-and we don't get paid" (1).

"I'm with you there."

Jessa fell asleep by the end of the movie. Wyatt gently shifted her position so he could stand up and put a pillow under her head. Spotting a blanket, he orbed it over and covered her with it. She was going to be so embarrassed by this, he thought wryly. He probably should wake her up, but she was sleeping so soundly. He waved a hand, and the stuffed penguin he had bought her appeared on the couch. When they were growing up, they had joked about taking over the world with an army of penguins. Since then, they had exchanged penguins as gifts ever since. Wyatt was pretty sure that they gave each other the same penguins over and over. They both owned about fifteen of them. He orbed out.

"You were back late," Piper commented to Wyatt the next morning. 'I really need to get my own house,' he thought dryly. "I was on a date with Jessa."

"A real date," Piper demanded.

"Yes, a real date."

"About time you got around to it," Piper muttered.

Wyatt rolled his eyes at Chris. Piper had decided years ago that she wanted Wyatt to marry Jessa. The fact that they had been fourteen and twelve years old at that time had not mattered to her in the least. Chris smirked at his brother as he reached for the pancake syrup. "Why don't you try to control Chris' life?"

"I do," Piper answered serenely.

She was in a good mood. Maybe this was a good time. He arched a questioning eyebrow at Chris, who knew what he wanted without having to be told. Chris shrugged slightly. This was as good a time as any. "Mom, we were thinking," Chris began carefully. Piper crossed her arms. "About what?"

"I'm almost finished with college, and Chris is halfway through. We were thinking about getting our own place."

Piper put her hands on her hips. "Have you two lost your minds? We've been over this."

"Mom, we'd only be an orb away," Chris protested.

"You'd be a target for every demon in the Underworld," Piper objected.

"We already are," Wyatt argued, even though he recognized the futility.

"That's not reassuring me," Piper snapped.

"Mom, we can't all stay here forever."

"Well, you can wait a while longer." She was refusing to listen now.

"Sorry, Mom," Chris apologized.

"The kitchen needs to be cleaned," Piper said pointedly.

The two boys busied themselves with cleaning. Mel wandered in and snagged an orange.

"You're eating an orange when you could have eaten pancakes," Chris questioned. Mel shrugged. "I like oranges." Chris shook his head. His cousin was very definitely strange. She had an inexplicable dislike for junk food, rarely eating anything sweeter than a banana. She hated potato chips as well. As children, Wyatt and Chris had been convinced that their cousin was either a demon or an alien from outer space. A knife appeared in Mel's hands. She deftly peeled the orange with it and popped one piece into her mouth. A small red birthmark shaped like a bird marked her otherwise flawless skin. Mel's father was an exiled member of the notorious Phoenix clan. His marriage to Phoebe Halliwell was the talk of the magical world for months. Wyatt and Chris were more than ready to fight anyone who insulted their younger cousin; they liked Mel and they liked her father too. Although Mel was a skilled fighter, she preferred not to join her family on the demon patrols; she only fought when defending herself or her family. She was also the most even tempered of their generation. "So, Aunt Piper didn't agree to the two of you moving out?"

"Nope. Have you had any luck?"

"I think Mom would let me, but Dad won't agree and neither will Aunt Piper."

"They can't think that the Phoenix clan would harm you," Chris questioned. The Phoenixes may not have liked Mel, but they wouldn't hurt her. "Aunt Piper's worried about demons. As for Dad, he's worried that some of his old enemies will come after me." This last comment was accompanied by a toss of her hair. The eighteen year old wanted to be closer to her college. She got a thoughtful look on her face. "Of course, I could get Dad off my back if I said I would move in with you two…"

"No way," Wyatt interrupted. Mel shot him a pleading look that he refused to give into. Mel's tendency to sleepwalk was irritating in the extreme, as was her habit of interrogating the girls her older cousins dated. "We'd still have to convince Mom," Chris chimed in. The two boys had agreed that as much as they loved their cousin, they didn't want to live with her.

"I've got to run," Chris announced.

"Today's Saturday," Mel protested mildly.

"I have a study group," he answered.

"Ick," she answered as he orbed out.

"_You forgot your books, moron,"_ Wyatt mindcalled to his brother.

Mel waved her hand, sending Chris' books to him. "Maybe Aunt Piper's right. I'm not sure you two are ready to move out on your own."

Wyatt rolled his eyes at her. "I've got work. See you around."

(1) The movie that Wyatt and Jessa watched is Rose Red, one of the few horror movies I have actually watched. I don't own that either.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

**Chapter 4: Tragedy Strikes**

Wyatt and Jessa dated for the next three months. Wyatt even managed to tolerate the teasing of his siblings and cousins, within limits. The ice water he dumped on Vicky, Abby, and Blaire hadn't been _that_ cold. In the past couple weeks, Wyatt and Chris had noticed a slight increase in the frequency of demon attacks. "What do you make of it," Chris questioned.

"Normal rise and fall of demon activity," Wyatt answered lazily.

Chris disagreed. "They've gotten more and more organized. Adam and Tracey think…"

"That a new Source is gaining power, yes, I know," Wyatt answered impatiently.

Bright green eyes glared at him. "This is serious, Wyatt."

"If there is a new Source, there's not much we can do," Wyatt answered, not all that concerned with the topic. "We'll deal with it when it happens."

"Did you see the ideas for the patrol that I came up with," Chris asked.

"I saw them," Wyatt answered noncommittally.

"You didn't like them?"

"I didn't say that."

"Are you going to use them?"

"Chris, the system we have now is fine."

"We could make it better."

"Can we talk about this later?"

Chris threw up his hands. "You know what? Forget it."

Wyatt and Jessa went out that night. They ate at Jessa's favorite restaurant and watched a movie that they were both dying to see. Jessa didn't say much that evening, but a slight smile on her lips told Wyatt that she was happy. Wyatt felt a sudden unease, and he lightly touched Jessa's wrist to warn her. Suddenly, they were surrounded. Jessa and Wyatt fought fiercely, guarding each other's backs. They had spent so many years working together that the formation was instinctive. Wyatt blasted two demons and sent a third into the wall of a nearby building. More demons kept appearing, managing to separate Jessa and Wyatt. He knew that he had to get to her, but he couldn't fight his way past the demons. Where were they all coming from? Suddenly, the last opponent was gone. Jessa fell to her knees, clutching her side as blood seeped through her fingers. Wyatt gripped Jessa's arms as he held her up. "We need to take you to the Manor." She nodded faintly. Her eyes locked on something behind him. Jessa spun Wyatt around, somehow finding the strength to push him behind her. The arrow struck her in the back. Wyatt vanquished the Darklighter instantly. He dropped to his knees beside Jessa, who lay unconscious on the ground. With the same gentle care he showed to his youngest cousins when they were hurt, he gathered her in his arms and orbed out.

Time seemed to spin. His father and a woman he didn't know stood over Jessa, trying to heal her. Chris was working on Wyatt, healing wounds that Wyatt hadn't realized that he had. Pam was crying, Vicky was demanding to know what was going on. Suddenly, Wyatt felt someone shove him into the wall. Seth. Why was his friend blaming him for this? The two young men struggled with each other, while Vicky screamed at them to stop it. Mel grabbed Seth by the collar and threw him into the wall, then kicked Wyatt's feet out from under him. "Your partner is fighting for her life, and the two of you are fighting like spoiled children! If you can't control yourselves, then get out of here before I throw you out!" Everyone in the room stared at the usually calm, gentle Mel. Piper took over, ordering everyone to calm down as she pushed Wyatt and Seth out of the room. Mel held her younger cousins close to her. She wished, now more than ever, that she was half Whitelighter like her cousins. She could kill, but she couldn't heal. Wyatt eyed Seth warily, but his friend seemed calmer now. He wouldn't meet Wyatt's eyes. Wyatt couldn't blame him. He was the most powerful witch in the world, why hadn't he been able to protect Jessa?

"I can't heal her," Leo stated, frustration coloring his tone. "I don't think she'll last the night. Something is draining my powers before they take effect."

"Let me try," Wyatt insisted.

"Son, you can't save her."

"I have to try!"

He shoved them aside and attempted to heal Jessa. He poured more and more power into the effort, but he felt the magic draining away. This had to work; it just had to. He felt someone drag him away. "Wyatt, stop," Piper pleaded. He reluctantly let her lead him to the couch. "Baby, I'm so sorry," Piper whispered. She knew the pain that he was going through. Wyatt felt tears fill his eyes. He hated crying, but he couldn't stop. Piper didn't say anymore, she just held them. Abby and Blaire clung tightly to their mother. Chris went over and sat next to his brother. Mel hugged Pam tightly; the little girl was sobbing uncontrollably. Vicky suddenly ran outside, followed by Seth. "This can't be happening," Vicky whispered. She wrapped her arms around herself. Seth didn't trust himself to speak. A mixture of grief and fury rose up in him-a dangerous combination. Giving in to his anger would give his demonic side too strong a hold. "I should go," he stated, voice thick. Vicky nodded, not looking at him. She stared sightlessly at the night sky after he left. She had always believed that none of them would ever die. A naïve belief, but it was one that had never been challenged-until now. Jessa wasn't family, but she was the next best thing. Life would never be the same.

They buried Jessa the next day. Wyatt moved through the funeral in a daze. Jessa's father wept without shame; his baby girl, his only child was dead. Jessa's mother kept a civil but cool distance from the Halliwells. Seeing her red-rimmed eyes, Piper understood and didn't feel angry. Ellen's child was dead and hers was alive. She couldn't change that, but oh, how she wished she could. She had never wanted her children to pay this price, the price that had made her want to give up her magic several times over the years. A scream caught her attention. "What right do you have to be here? You killed my child!" Ellen was glaring at Wyatt with grief-filled eyes. His siblings and cousin moved to flank him. Pam, Abby, and Blaire stared in shock. In ten short strides, Piper had moved to face the grieving mother. "Demons killed Jessa, Ellen, not my son."

Ellen didn't listen. "You're the all-powerful Twice-Blessed witch, and you can't even heal my daughter?"

"I tried," Wyatt whispered.

Ellen's husband took her arms and turned her away from the group. "It's time to go," he said softly. He glanced back at the Halliwells as they walked away. His eyes held no accusation, only grief and a desperate longing that silenced any anger the Halliwells felt. "It's not your fault," Piper tried to reassure Wyatt. He shook his head, pulling away from her. "Yes, it is." He orbed out.

A/N: I am feeling discouraged at the distinct lack of reviews. The next chapter will only be posted if I receive three reviews. In fact, the story will be deleted if an insufficient amount of reviews are given. Review, please?


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize.

A/N: You get a double for this one; Chapter 6 is short, though.

**Chapter 5: Running **

He had to leave. He couldn't stay here any longer. What good was it to be the most powerful witch in the world if he couldn't even save the girl he loved? "Jessa, I'm so sorry," he whispered. The future stretched out bleakly before him. How long before his parents, his cousins, and his siblings died? They had already nearly lost Pam a few years back, and he had lost count of how many near-death experiences the second generation had survived. "Wyatt, what are you doing?"

"Go away, Chris."

His younger brother swore softly. "Wyatt, you can't blame yourself for this…"

"GET OUT!" His emotions triggered his powers, and Chris flew backwards, crashing into the wall. Wyatt stared at Chris in horror. They had fought plenty of times, both playfully and in earnest, but he had never thrown him that hard. The Twice-Blessed orbed out. He started his car and drove away, desperate to get far away from home.

The rain poured down as Wyatt drove on the lonely highway. He had gone back home briefly, not saying much to anyone. He wanted to apologize to Chris, but he couldn't find the words. He packed his bag and left. Everyone in the family had tried to talk him out of it, with the exception of the three youngest. Blaire had cried as Abby stared at him reproachfully. Pam had merely hugged him tightly and solemnly said goodbye. He found himself wondering what she was thinking as she looked at him with one of her more uncanny expressions. He had checked into a hotel and was now eating lunch. He tried to think of a plan. A frightened scream caught his attention; a demon was attacking a young girl and her mother. In seconds, the demon burst into flames. The young girl and her mother stared at him in awe. "Are you a witch?"

"Yes."

Two hours later he was sitting in the woman's house. He learned that both the woman and the girl were witches. "My grandma says that men can't handle magic," said the little girl. The woman quickly tried to hush the child, sending Wyatt an apologetic look. "Funny, my great-Grams says the same thing." The girl looked confused for a moment, then giggled. "What's your name?"

"Wyatt. Wyatt Halliwell."

"Wait, you mean you're the son of the Charmed Ones?"

"Well, one of 'em."

"But you're the most important!"

"I'm not sure my siblings and cousins would like that."

The woman sent the little girl to go play. "I'm sorry about all the questions, sir." She nodded slowly. "What are you doing here?" He sighed. "Just passing through. He played with the little girl as he gently altered her memories, making the clear images of the demon fade to a distant memory. He politely refused to stay for dinner; not wanting anyone else to get hurt.

"You'll need to pay the first week's rent up front," the woman stated briskly.

"I can do that," Wyatt agreed. He pulled out enough cash to pay the rent. The woman looked mildly surprised, but didn't say anything. Wyatt put his single suitcase on the hotel bed and looked around. He very rarely stayed in hotels; the last time he stayed in one was on a high-school trip. He would have enjoyed the freedom-if it weren't for the pain. He sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands, letting the memories wash over him. Jessa's laughing eyes floated in front of him. She loved to laugh, and her eyes frequently shone even when her face was serious. Those same eyes glittering with anger when she saw someone being hurt.

The first time he met her, he had been teasing a little girl in his first grade class, telekinetically pulling her braids. Jessa had punched him at recess, giving him a black eye that amazed Ms. Raines' first grade class for weeks afterward. They had feuded for weeks, each playing pranks on each other. That had ended the day the demon showed up on the playground. The demon came up before Wyatt saw him, grabbing for the young boy. Frightened, Jessa called up a miniature whirlwind. Wyatt twisted around and blinked, easily vanquishing the demon. They gave each other shaky grins. Luckily, the only teacher who saw them was a witch herself. She had helped the young children get their stories straight, then efficiently went on to call their parents. Jessa had sat nonchalantly on her chair waiting for her parents to come. Wyatt had played with his new ball that he carried in his pocket. "Thanks," Wyatt told her. She grinned at him, showing her missing front tooth. "Thank you too." They had been best friends ever since. Wyatt had learned quickly that if he teased the other little girls, Jessa would punch him. Of course, that didn't keep him from teasing them; he just developed a very thick skin. _Jessa._

Wyatt had spent the first two weeks after Jessa's funeral vanquishing any demon that he could find. He could hear his family calling for him, but he put them on mute. Eventually, he acknowledged that even he could not kill all the demons in the world. Wyatt picked up the vial sitting on the bedside table and studied it. He had first learned how to make a power-stripping potion when he was eleven years old. He gently rolled the vial between his fingers. Could he do it? Should he do it? His powers had been a part of him for as long as he had been alive. Magic was as natural as breathing to Wyatt, his siblings, and his cousins. He wasn't sure he wanted to burn all his bridges anyway.

The days turned to weeks, and then to months. He fought demons as he ran across them, but didn't seek them out. He blocked his family's attempts to find him. He knew that it wasn't fair, but he didn't want to go back and face them. He was tired of demon-hunting, tired of leading, tired of trying to save the world. The harder he and his family tried, the worse things seemed to get. Magic had been revealed to the world when he was ten by an ambitious demon. Evil had lost any need to protect itself, and thus any desire to hide. The only reason witches were tolerated was their ability to fight demons. What good were his powers if he couldn't protect his friends and family? Pam was irreversibly scarred by her abduction, and Jessa…he couldn't finish the thought. He was done with destiny, with demon-fighting, with everything.

Joshua watched his latest charge, debating the best way to handle him. The Elders had given him the task of persuading Wyatt to accept his destiny. Joshua found this somewhat amusing, considering how many Elders had feared Wyatt's power. Of course, they were more afraid of a powerful witch completely out of their control. One of the Elders, Candace, had suggested that Joshua would be the best choice. His methods tended to be somewhat…unconventional…and he had come close to having his wings clipped more than once. Joshua was particularly good at working with charges who were growing disenchanted with the Greater Good-a disenchantment Joshua understood. However, Joshua had also lived through a time where Good had almost died out. He knew the importance of never giving up, and the dangers of becoming too much like your enemies-a danger that Gideon had succumbed to. Wyatt Halliwell was shaping up to be one of his more difficult charges, though. He knew that the loss of his friend was hurting Wyatt, but whether or not the boy liked it, he was needed. Joshua had never failed on an assignment, and he didn't intend to do so now.

Wyatt leaned against a wall and tossed a baseball up and down. Without warning, he threw it straight at the whitelighter who appeared in his room. Joshua ducked it easily. "How stupid do you think I am? I've sensed you watching me. I'm not going back."

"Can we talk?"

Wyatt flicked his hands at the whitelighter, orbing him away. A minute later, the whitelighter re-appeared. "Would you just go away?"

"No," the whitelighter answered simply.

"I'm not going back, not now."

"OK, then when?"

"I don't know!"

"Can we just talk for five minutes?"

"There's nothing to talk about," Wyatt snapped.

Joshua looked annoyed. "We'll talk later." He orbed out. "Not likely," Wyatt muttered.

Wyatt looked skeptically down at the spell that he had written. He didn't want any more interruptions from whitelighters. If he wouldn't talk to his family, what made them think that he would talk to them? A small part of him knew that hiding from his family was wrong. But if he went home, then they would force the issue, and that wasn't something that he could deal with right now. He didn't want to be the Twice Blessed Child anymore. Couldn't anyone understand that? He just wanted to be alone. Why did Jessa have to die? Why had she stepped into the path of that arrow? He would give almost anything to be the one in her place. Wait, that was an idea. He could go back in time and save her life.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. Joshua's mine, so please don't steal him.

A/N: Please review.

**Chapter 6**

Three days later, Joshua showed up again. "Why don't you save both of us some trouble and stop bothering me!"

"Why don't you just go home?"

"To do what? Fulfill my magical destiny while watching the people I love die?"

"It won't work," Joshua stated quietly.

"What won't work?"

"Going back in time."

"Don't say it," Wyatt snapped. "Don't tell me it was her time."

"I won't say it was her time," Joshua repeated.

Wyatt glowered at him. Chris did that any time when he was pointing out something Wyatt didn't want to hear. "Go away."

"I can't, even if I wanted to."

"Half the Elders think I'm a danger to the entire world! Why are They suddenly so determined to make me go back?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

Wyatt waved a hand at the whitelighter, forcing him to orb out. He looked at the picture of Jessa he held in his hand, knowing that the annoying whitelighter was right.

Joshua shot to the surface of the ocean, choking on the water he had swallowed. "Well, at least it's not a volcano," he said to himself. A pack of tiger sharks glided underneath him, the biggest one looking curiously at the whitelighter intruding on his domain. A vague impression of amusement came to Joshua's mind, followed by an image of the shark eating a fish. "_He's no trout,"_ Joshua replied to the shark. Silent laughter answered his reply as the pack swam on. The whitelighter gave into the inevitable and orbed Up There to explain his lack of progress to the Elders.

A tidal wave struck the coastline, killing hundreds of people. A formerly dormant volcano erupted, spewing ash and lava. Renewed skirmishes broke out in war-torn areas that had achieved an uneasy truce. Children were found dead, killed by those who should have protected them. Demons emerged in greater force. The intensity and frequency of the weather and the manifestations of evil worried the Elders greatly. "We will need Wyatt," the Elder called Candace stated flatly.

"He's not in much of a mood to listen."

"Persuade him."

"Have you given much thought to my other concern?"

"I understand your concern for your charge, but this is more important."

"I think that they are related. Amber is the same age as the other children taken, and she certainly has power."

Candace looked surprised. "I was not aware of this."

Candace was one of the few Elders that Joshua genuinely respected, so he contented himself with a raised eyebrow. The sharp look she gave him warned him that he wasn't hiding his thoughts well. "Do your best to get Wyatt back."

"If I can't?"

"Speak to Chris Halliwell and the Phoenix."

Wyatt rolled his eyes as the whitelighter appeared again. "We need to talk."

"About what?"

"Twelve children have been kidnapped from their homes."

"Isn't that a matter for the cops?"

"The cops don't deal well with magic."

Wyatt raised his eyebrows. "So go talk to my family."

"They may need you. They will need you. If what the Elders suspect is true, the Charmed Ones will not be strong enough to fight this…creature. Your family needs you."

"I couldn't even…" Wyatt broke off.

Joshua decided to change tactics. "I wonder how your mother feels, knowing her eldest son is a coward!"

"What!"

"You…are either a coward or an idiot. Maybe both. Do you think you're the only one hurting? Do you think you're the only one who has lost someone?"

"She died because of me!"

"She died because of evil! Your sister was kidnapped and tortured because of evil!"

"Don't talk about my sister!"

"Do you think running away will help? That hiding your head in the sand will make the evil go away? Are you that dense?"

"So explain it to me, oh wise one!"

"You never found the demon who kidnapped your sister."

"You know we didn't."

"Your brother, Chris, attempted to scry for the demon. He could find no trace. Pamela said that she did not see the demon's face, but you know that she is lying."

"Get to the point."

"The one who kidnapped your sister, who kidnapped these children, isn't a demon, Wyatt."

Wyatt shared just a trace of his aunt's power of premonition. He didn't see anything, but sometimes he would get a slight hint about what was to come. Somehow he knew what Joshua was going to say. "Who is it, then?"

"It's you."

A/N: Um, don't kill me? If I'm dead I can't write more. Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Wyatt orbed out. Joshua swore distractedly as he attempted to sense for his charge. No such luck. Sighing slightly, he fixed an image in his mind and orbed. Chris Halliwell looked up in surprise as Joshua appeared on the bridge. "What do you want?"

"I need your help," Joshua answered crisply.

Chris turned his head away.

"I can't find your brother," Joshua stated directly.

"What do you mean," Chris demanded. "I thought you were keeping an eye on him!"

"I was," Joshua answered. "He orbed out, and now I can't sense him."

"What did you tell him," the dark-haired boy asked.

"I told him about the kidnappings."

Chris gave an irritated sigh. "I told you to let me tell him. Wyatt freaks out when you spring things on him."

"That much is apparent," Joshua noted.

"I'll find him," Chris stated. "In the meantime, go and get the girls, Seth, and the Phoenix."

Without really intending to, Joshua found himself orbing out.

Chris pushed his annoyance at idiot Whitelighters aside. Right now, he had to find Wyatt. "_Wyatt_."

No response.

"_Wyatt, I know you can hear me_."

Chris knew he wouldn't be able to orb to his brother; Wyatt would have to come to him.

"_Wyatt Matthew Halliwell, if you don't answer me I swear I will kick you into next year_!"

Chris fumed silently. His brother was such a pain in the neck sometimes. Apparently he would have to take it up a notch. Chris grimaced as he pulled the knife out of his pocket. He didn't get sick at the sight of blood, that was thankfully not a Halliwell trait, but that didn't mean he liked stabbing himself. Steeling his nerves, he drew the blade across his palm, carefully following the small scar. He remembered how he had gotten it…

_The demon laughed softly as it advanced on the small boy. "Not so tough when mommy isn't here to protect you, are you?"_

"_Shut up," Chris answered with a bravado he didn't feel. He was only eight, and even for him demons were scary. The demon laughed and raked her claws across his face. Chris screamed. **"Get away from my brother."** Wyatt's voice, low and cold, did not belong in a ten year old. The demon felt a flicker of unease as she saw the young boy standing in her lair. "It's amazing how stupid you witches have gotten. Now my food is just walking into my lair."_

_Wyatt used the few seconds to size up the situation and the demon's powers. It was something he did almost instinctively. If she had been a high level demon he might have a problem, but this one was nothing. Even at ten, Wyatt knew better than to waste words. The demon burst into flames, screaming. Wyatt rushed to Chris and freed his brother. Holding tight to his brother, Wyatt orbed to safety. _

_"It's OK, Chris, you're safe," Wyatt repeated as he held his shaking brother. Golden light spread from his hands as he healed the younger boy's injuries. Chris took several deep breaths and stiffened slightly. Wyatt let him go, but didn't take his bright blue eyes off his brother. "S-sorry I was s-so stupid," Chris managed to say. _

"_You were only a little stupid," Wyatt assured him. _

"_I called for Mom and Dad, but no one came," Chris wailed. _

_Wyatt sighed. "They can't hear you in the Underworld, Chris." He frowned thoughtfully. "And I'm not sure Mom didn't know. She was getting really antsy about you without even knowing why. That's why I looked for you."_

_Chris looked apprehensive. "Mom's gonna be mad, isn't she?"_

"_Oh yeah," his brother answered. _

Piper really had been upset that day, Chris remembered. His hand was really starting to hurt now. Shaking his head, he went back to the memory.

_Lying in bed that night, the two boys whispered to each other. "I'm sorry you got grounded, Wy," Chris apologized. _

"_Hey, you're my brother. Saving you is worth a day of no magic," Wyatt assured him. He paused. "That, and the knowledge that you will be my slave for that day."_

_Chris rolled his eyes. He was not looking forward to this. "I am not putting worms in Mel's bed again," Chris griped. Wyatt laughed softly. "Big baby." A pillow flew through the air._

"_Wyatt?" _

"_Yeah, Chris?"_

"_How did you find me?"_

"_You're my brother, dummy."_

"_But Aunt Paige can't find Mom or Aunt Phoebe when they're in the Underworld."_

"_I can always find you," Wyatt assured him._

"_What if you get mad at me, and you don't come?"_

"_I'll come."_

"_But what if you don't?"_

_Wyatt sighed. "Come here."_

_Chris climbed out of bed and sat on the floor where Wyatt was reading comic books. _

"_Give me your hand."_

_Wyatt gently cut Chris' hand with the knife, then cut his own. Holding Chris' hand tight, he whispered, "If you call me, I'll come. I swear on my magic, the blood we share, and the secret of Mel's missing ferret. I'll come." _

Wyatt suddenly appeared on the bridge. "Chris, what did you do?"

Chris sheepishly held up his hand. "You promised me you would come."

Wyatt narrowed his eyes, pressing his lips together. Chris gave Wyatt his best don't-hurt-me smile. Wyatt had moved right in front of him before Chris could react. He grabbed Chris' hand and healed the small injury. "Explain yourself," Wyatt demanded.

"I needed to talk to you. You weren't answering my calls."

"Maybe I didn't want to."

"What you want and what you need are often two different things," Chris snapped, repeating an often-heard line from their mother.

"I'm leaving," Wyatt snapped. Chris grabbed onto his brother, ensuring that Wyatt orbed both of them. Wyatt tried to pull away from Chris, but the younger witch wasn't having any of it. "Wyatt, you are going to listen to me."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Chris grimaced. "Joshua told you?"

"You knew it was me?"

"You from another timeline."

"How could you not say anything?"

"He had gone out of time. There was no way to go after him. What was the point?"

"The point is, I had a right to know! I nearly killed my own sister!"

"You are not responsible for what he did," Chris stated. Jade eyes met ice blue ones steadily. He was not saying this out of anger or protectiveness, Wyatt realized. Chris meant this with every fiber of his being.

"Wyatt. I need you. The family needs you. Heck, the entire world needs you! So please, come home. Don't make me work with Seth forever, 'cause I just can't take it much longer."

Wyatt just managed not to smile at his brother's complaint. The thought of going home terrified him, but the thought of staying away terrified him even more. "All right. I'll come home. Just let me…"

Chris interrupted him. "No time like the present."

The brothers disappeared in a swirl of blue orbs.

The Halliwell family was planning an attack when Wyatt and Chris orbed in. "Wyatt!" Vicky stared at him in shock. "Hey, sis," he answered carefully. An excited shriek gave Vicky barely enough warning to dodge as Blaire ran forward and jumped into his arms. The rest of the family began appearing from various doors and hallways. Chaos ensued as they realized the oldest of the cousins was home. Abby, Blaire, and Pam clustered around him and refused to be separated for most of the evening. Vicky wascaught between excitement and repressed resentment. "Glad you finally remembered we were here," she stated. "Enjoy your normal life?"

"Vicky," Piper warned.

"Yeah, for the whole seven days that it lasted."

"You've been gone more than seven days," Mel pointed out quietly.

"Yeah, and we did fine without you," Vicky added pointedly.

"I know you did." Wyatt's calm reply took his younger sister aback. He looked at Mel. "I spent the past three weeks trying to get home, but every demon and his brother decided to attack in sequential order." Mel gave her cousin a sharp look. He had changed-how much she wasn't sure. Wyatt was silent for a moment. "Have you seen Seth lately?"

"We only see him for patrol. He acts like we have the plague or something," Chris explained."

"He's been tracking down the demons that killed Jessa," Vicky argued. "Which is more than you've done," she added spitefully to Wyatt.

"Vicky, that's enough."

Vicky was too angry to pay attention to Paige's warning. "The Twice-Blessed witch, king of the entire magical world," she taunted. "You can't even stand and fight…"

"Victoria Halliwell! Go to your room this instant!" Vicky paled, realizing she had gone too far. Wyatt felt his muscles tense; Vicky's words echoed in his head. Mel looked at him anxiously.

Mel found Vicky crying in her room. "Go away," the teenager muttered.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," Mel returned as she sat next to her younger cousin. Vicky curled up in Mel's arms, something she hadn't done since she was eight. Mel silently stroked her hair, waiting for her cousin to speak.

"He left us."

"I know."

"How can you not be mad at him?"

"I was. I knew he'd come back, though." She thought for a minute. "You can't force people to understand things. You just have to give them time." She grinned mischievously. "Want to know a secret?"

"What?"

"Chris and Dad tracked him down that first week. A couple of Dad's cousins and one of his sisters kept an eye on Wyatt."

Vicky sat up, astonished. "You're kidding."

"No, I'm not. Don't tell Mom or Aunt Piper, though."

"Yeah, Mom and the aunts really don't like your Dad's family."

"Yeah," Mel shrugged. There were only a few Phoenixes that would still speak to Gary after he married one of the Charmed Ones.

A sudden thought occurred to Vicky. "The witches that are helping us, are they your dad's family?"

"Jack is my dad's cousin, Valerie is his sister, and Bianca is the daughter of their other sister. Her mother still won't speak to Dad, but I don't think they were that close to begin with."

Vicky wondered if anyone else's family had to deal with these kinds of problems. Shrugging, she changed the subject. "Does Seth know Wyatt is back?"

"I don't think so. Wyatt and Chris were going to look for him."

Vicky kicked the bedpost. "Why is he so mad at us?"

"Who?"

"Seth!"

"He's not mad at us, Vicky. He's just kind of mad at the world in general."

"The world includes us, Mel."

"He'll get over it, Vic."

The sixteen year old shrugged her shoulders and changed the subject.

Wyatt found Seth sitting on a rock at the beach, watching the tide roll out. He looked up as Wyatt orbed in. "You're back."

"Yeah."

"What do you want?"

Wyatt could tell nothing from Seth's expressionless tone. "Chris and Vicky said you'd found some of the demons that killed Jess."

"Yeah," he answered, his indifferent tone not quite masking a surge of emotion.

"I am sorry, Seth."

The other man shrugged, refusing to look at Wyatt. "No big deal."

"I shouldn't have left."

Silence answered him. Wyatt debated his next move, the need to prepare for a fight warring with the need to sort things out with one of his closest friends. Chris' sudden appearance stalled any more conversation. "Meeting in the conservatory. Mom's already touchy, so let's go." The Halliwells orbed out, followed closely by Seth's shimmer.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters or plotlines from Charmed. The original characters are mine.

A/N: Sorry if this chapter is a little short; it's kind of a transition chapter. The story's almost over, just the battle and an epilogue. Please review!

**Chapter 8**

Wyatt looked with amused interest at the council of war sitting in the conservatory. Vicky and Mel sat with their backs to a wall, legs stretched out in front of them. Piper sat on the rose-patterned couch with her sisters on either side of her, glaring at three strangers. Two were sitting in chairs, while the third leaned casually against the wall. Phoebe's husband Gary stood midway between Piper and the strangers, looking like he was trying not to bolt. Wyatt noticed a strong resemblance between Gary and one of the strangers, the older woman. Piper noticed Wyatt first. She stood up and moved to give him a quick hug. "I love you," she whispered. "We'll talk later." Wyatt hugged her back, inwardly wincing at the steel underlying her voice. He stepped back and turned his eyes towards his uncle. "Uncle Gary, why are the Phoenix here?"

Gary cleared his throat. "They've formed a temporary…alliance with us. Bianca's little sister, Amber, has disappeared." As he spoke, he gestured to the younger woman, who looked to be a few years older than Wyatt.

"The other me has her," Wyatt guessed coolly.

Gary gave a tight nod. "This is my sister, Valerie, and my cousin, Jack."

Wyatt greeted them civilly. "What have you found out?"

Bianca rolled her eyes and started to speak; Jack's glance cut her off sharply. "Someone has created a space-time rift, although we don't know who or how. If it continues, it will gradually grow worse."

"Well, how do we stop it?"

"We can't," Jack answered flatly. "It's tied to you and your double. We have to sever the link between the two of you."

"So we just kill the other Wyatt, and then everything is fine," Piper summarized. Chris saw the odd expression that flickered over the man's face. "It will sever the link." Gary locked eyes with Valerie for a moment, then they both looked away. Chris made a mental note to find out what was up with that.

"What do we need now?"

The discussion went on for the better part of an hour. They decided that it would be best to lure the other Wyatt into a trap of their making. Chris and Bianca had spent the past several weeks gathering information; they were sure that they knew enough to set the plan in motion. Chris, Mel, and Bianca would prepare potions, while Wyatt, Vicky, and Seth would work on battle plans with Jack. The Charmed Ones and Gary would work on spelling crystals as communications devices.

Chris headed up to the attic to find a particularly dangerous ingredient that they did not keep in the kitchens. Overhearing heated voices, he stopped to listen. "How can you be sure?"

"We can't afford to be wrong."

"He's my nephew."

"He's the one tied most strongly to this world. Even if we kill the double, his life-force will continue to fuel the rift. We must kill them both, or we will all die."

"There has to be another way."

"Gary, it just isn't possible."

There was a pause. "Will you do it?"

"I'll do what's necessary," Gary answered reluctantly.

Chris' jaw tightened. Resisting the urge to yell or fight, he continued on his way up to the attic. He would just have to figure out a way to keep his brother safe. This was one sacrifice his family was not going to make.

A sudden scream caught everyone's attention. Everyone converged on Pam's room, where she had been playing games with Abby and Blaire. Blaire sat curled in a fetal position. Abby was slumped over her, a huge, dark bloodstain on her back. Pam was nowhere in the room. Paige instantly ran to her daughters, followed by Henry. Chris quickly moved to help his aunt heal his cousins. "Where is Pam," Piper demanded, too frightened to moderate her harsh tone. Abby looked fearfully up at her mother, then glanced at Wyatt and Chris. "He took her." Piper tried to speak, but no sound came out. She fell to her knees and covered her face. Everyone involuntarily looked at Wyatt. The Twice Blessed stood for a moment, looking at his mother. He turned on one heel and ran up the stairs to the attic. When the others caught up with him, Wyatt had drawn Excalibur from the stone. "Finish the potion," he commanded Chris. "It's time to fight."


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Charmed.

**Chapter 9**

Wyatt stood slightly apart from the others, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses. Chris was definitely coming with him; Wyatt couldn't stop him even if he wanted to. Mel would stay back and protect Abby and Blaire; the little girls might be needed for healing, and were too young to fight in any case. Vicky and Seth made a good team, Chris insisted, so they would work together. Uncle Gary and the other Phoenix clan members would be coming as well. Wyatt had managed to convince his mother and aunts to hold back; they would come in if they were needed. Piper wasn't pleased with the arrangement, though, so Wyatt was sure he would be hearing about it later.

Wyatt noticed that Chris was eyeing the Phoenix witches warily. _"Something wrong, bro,"_ he asked silently.

"_What? No,"_ Chris lied. Wyatt narrowed his eyes at the younger witch, then shook his head fractionally. He knew Chris didn't trust the Phoenix witches, heck, Wyatt didn't trust them either. "Everybody ready," he asked calmly. "All right then, let's go". Wyatt began the transportation spell…and someone ripped control away from him.

Wyatt hit the ground hard. His senses told him that the others had landed similarly. "Who's here," he asked automatically. Each member of the group answered him. "Wyatt, where on earth are we," Chris demanded.

"Definitely not on earth," Vicky mused. She couldn't even see her hand in front of her face.

"**Welcome to my world. How do you like it?"**

"I prefer my own," Wyatt answered steadily. He knew who it was; his double.

"**Yes, it does tend to get tiring. I won't have to worry about that for long, though."**

"You're right about that. You won't be alive long enough to worry." Before Wyatt even finished speaking, he lashed out with his powers. A second later, he screamed in agony. Cold laughter filled the air.

"**Do you like my little trick? Every attack on me will strike you instead."**

_"Chris, can you hear me?"_ It was Gary, talking in Chris' head. _"I know how to defeat him, but I need for all of you to keep him busy."_

"_Do you really think I'll let you kill my brother," _Chris silently demanded. He closed his mind to the traitor.

"Do you really think you'll win? We've got the strongest witches in the world waiting to take you down."

"**Piper, kill her own son? I doubt it."**

"You're not her son," Wyatt snapped.

"**Are you sure? We look the same, we sound the same…she'll never do it. Sentimentality was always her weakness."**

"Mom? Weak? Yeah, right," Chris laughed.

"**Oh, yes, little Chris. Always wanting to be as good as me, but never quite pulling it off. You're as pathetic in this world as you were in mine." **

Chris screamed, falling to his knees as crippling waves of power struck him.

"Let him go," Vicky screamed. Seth conjured an energy ball, which exploded in his hands. Both he and Vicky fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Enough of this," Wyatt snapped. He effortlessly reached out and canceled the spell. "Where is my sister?"

"And where's my cousin," Bianca demanded. She had subtly moved closer to Wyatt.

The other Wyatt laughed. "**Hidden somewhere where you'll never find them."**

"**Don't worry, the little witches will live for a while at first. They'll come in handy while I'm taking over the world." **

"Not if we stop you first." Vicky stepped forward, Seth right behind her.

"**Fool. Haven't you been paying attention? You can't stop me."**

"He's right, Chris," Gary asserted. "As long as our Wyatt is alive, we can't stop him. They are the same person. Different body, but the same mind and the same powers."

"I'm not letting you kill my brother," Chris yelled.

"**How touching."** A wave of power threw the witches back.

"**Give me Excalibur."**

"Come and get it."

"Excalibur can only be wielded by its rightful owner," Valerie drawled. "Unless, of course, you kill its owner."

"**Oh, I can do better than that."** Chris and Gary began to choke, strangled by invisible hands. Gary looked right at Wyatt and seemed to nod once. Wyatt turned his ice-blue eyes back to his double.

"**Give it to me."**

The sword was telekinetically pulled from his hands towards his double. The other Wyatt grasped Excalibur, laughing triumphantly.

Bianca made a desperate lunge towards Wyatt, knife pointed toward his heart. She was thrown backwards into Jack and Valerie, who caught her.

"**First things first. Time to kill the only person who could kill me."** He drove the blade into Chris' heart just as Wyatt activated the spell he had been casting.

Chris felt a moment of blinding pain, then something wrenched him away. He looked down at his hands, seeing that they were Wyatt's. "Excalibur," he shouted.

The demonic Wyatt was down on his knees, groaning in agony. "So I'm the only one who can kill you, am I? Thanks for the info." He stabbed the demon wearing his brother's face through the heart. That done, he hurried over to his brother.

"Wait, what," Bianca stammered.

"Chris, can you orb us all back home," Gary asked as he gathered Chris' body in his arms. "Wyatt doesn't have much time." Seth, who had woken back up, picked up Vicky.

"Everyone hold on."

"Chris!" Piper gasped as she saw her son's body."

"I'm over here. That's Wyatt. Heal him, quick."

Piper looked confused, then shook her head. "Paige! Wy…Chris, you'll have to help too." All of the half-whitelighters, even Abby and Blaire, gathered around Chris' body. Chris took in all of their offered power and channeled it directly into his body. Moments later, Wyatt took in a gasp of air.

"Don't talk," Mel warned. "We need to get the two of you switched back."

The Charmed Ones cast the reversal spell.

"I am so glad to be me again," Chris sighed in relief.

"I'm glad to be alive," Wyatt added. He nodded once to his uncle. "Good plan; glad you thought of it."

"So, the other Wyatt is gone," Mel asked.

"Where's Pam," Piper demanded.

"Can you sense her, Chris," Wyatt asked calmly. Chris closed his eyes. "Got her." He and Wyatt orbed out; Bianca grabbed Wyatt's shoulder and followed them.

At least seven children around Pam's age were chained to a wall in the cave they found themselves in. "What is it with evil villains and dark caves," Chris wondered out loud. "For once, couldn't they pick a high-rise hotel?"

Wyatt didn't bother answering his brother's inane question; he just freed the kids from their bindings. Pam clung to Chris, nearly cutting off his air supply. A pretty girl with blond hair hugged Bianca tightly. "I want to go home." Her voice was somewhere between a plea and a demand.

"We'll take all the kids back to the Manor and sort them out there." Wyatt sighed tiredly. "Let's go home."

**Epilogue:**

Pam and Vicky chased Abby and Blaire around the yard, shrieking in excitement. Mel hid behind the house, stocking up on the water balloons needed for her surprise attack. "Hey, Piper? What happened to the peanut butter cookies?"

"Chris and Pam ate them all."

"I knew I should have snuck down here for a midnight snack," Gary muttered in disgust.

"Sorry," Piper shrugged, her tone saying she wasn't really sorry at all.

"You're still mad at me."

"Yes, I'm mad at you. You _lied_ to me."

"You know I wouldn't have tried to kill Wyatt."

"Do I?"

Gary started to argue, then backed off. "I lied to them so that they would work with us. We needed their help."

"Yes, but you put my children at risk."

"Piper, they were already at risk! Your son's double from another world was trying to kill the whole family!"

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I didn't have a plan until Val gathered all the information and Wyatt came back."

Piper rubbed her forehead. "And what if it hadn't worked? Or what if you hadn't thought of it?"

"Actually, it was Wyatt's…"

"Gary."

"I don't know, Piper, all right? I don't know what we would have done. We did think of it and it worked. End of story."

"How's your niece?" Phoebe came up behind them, munching on a bag of chips.

"Amber's fine. Val's glad to have her home safe."

"So you're still talking to them?"

Phoebe hesitated, partially agreeing with her sister but unwilling to shatter the uneasy truce she and her husband had formed the night before.

"What wouldn't you do to protect your kids," Gary asked quietly.

Piper glared at him, unwilling to acknowledge the point. "I don't trust them."

"I'm not asking you to. I'm asking you to trust _me_."

Mel let out an indignant shriek as the water balloon she threw at Chris was telekinetically redirected. Within minutes, all of the cousins were involved in a free-for-all.

"I can do that," Piper answered slowly. "But if you ever lie to me again, I'm blowing you up."

"Fair enough. That looks like fun," Gary commented. He shimmered out to join them. Piper and Phoebe linked arms.

"You know, we should let them handle more of the demon hunting."

"Can we stop them?"

"So, you're OK with Wyatt wielding Excalibur?"

"I guess I am. It's his destiny, and he's proven he can handle it. I just worry."

"Worry from afar," Phoebe advised. "They're growing up. They need to spread their wings."

Paige came up behind them and took Piper's other arm. "I foresee a naptime for my kids," she predicted.

"You're lucky they still take naps."

"Yeah, yours make me feel old." She inspected Piper's hair. "Hey, is that more gray I see?"

"What?!"

Deciding she might have better luck surviving the water fight, Paige orbed out to the yard.

"We're not old, are we?" Phoebe asked.

"Of course not."

"Let's get 'em." She dragged a protesting Piper into the hallway and out the door.

Invisible to mortal or witchy eyes, Joshua and his newest pupil watched the Halliwells play. "Wyatt truly is stronger than most of the Council realized, and not just in terms of magical power. I wonder what he'll do with his life?"

"Whatever it is, it will be for good." The newest whitelighter's tone was slightly defiant.

"You're preaching to the choir," he laughed. "He wouldn't have this power if he couldn't handle it. And he's got his family and friends."

"He's appreciating them more." The whitelighter's tone held a touch of wistful irony.

"He learned that the hard way," Joshua replied gently. "Speaking of lessons, we have other charges to check on. This next one's in Hawaii, so I hope you like the beach."

"Can't I say anything to him?"

"It's better that you don't. For both of you."

"All right. Goodbye, Wyatt," Jessa whispered.

The sunlight caught her hair as she shook her head before she orbed out. A flash of light caught Wyatt's eye; he turned his head. _"Goodbye, Wyatt."_

"Something wrong, Wyatt," Chris asked.

"No, I just thought I heard something. Must have been the wind."

A/N: It's finally over! If you liked it, let me know. I'm going to concentrate on Discovery for now, but I may go back and rewrite Hunter, the sequel to Sacrifice. Until then, _Hasta luego_.


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